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Show Big Leagues Give $50,000 To Legion Junior Baseball . The success of the 1948 American Ameri-can Legion Junior Baseball program pro-gram as the "greatest in history" was seen assured today as the result re-sult of the contribution to this youth activity of $50,000 by the two major leagues. This sum, voted by the American and National Leagues at their meeting, was 2 Y2 times larger than their contribution to this American Legion sandlot sport in 1947. Announcement of the 1948 major league financial aid to American Legion Junior Baseball followed conferences between National Commander James F. O'Neil and his associates and Commissioner of Baseball A. B. (Happy) Chandler and club owners. In formally announcing the major ma-jor league 1948 contribution, Com-misioner Com-misioner Chandler said that organized or-ganized baseball and the American Legion will continue to march to- I gether hand in hand to make next ' year the greatest in the history of the junior diamond classic. Expressing his gratitude to Commissioner Com-missioner Chandler, National Commander Com-mander O'Neil termed the action of organized baseball in voting this 1 generous financial aid to American 1 Legion Junior Baseball as a "high ! point for sports in this country." He added: "This action on the part of the major leagues and the spirit of cooperation co-operation shown by Commissioner Chandler and the club owners marks the beginning of a new decade dec-ade and a very proper start of the celebration of the 21st birthday of American Legion Junior Baseball. "Throughout the year ceremonies ceremon-ies commemorating this action will be observed at American Legion junior baseball games and at major ma-jor and minor league ball parks in all states." |